In 1865 the town of Wakefield hosted an Industrial and Fine Art Exhibition, one of several events held nationally following the Great Exhibition of 1851.

 

It was housed in a purpose-built hall which was itself an ambitious temporary wooden Crystal Palace-style building, designed by architect William Watson and erected on the site that was later used for the building of the Town Hall.

 

This event brought together works of art and industrially manufactured items alongside raw materials and homemade crafts. All items were loaned by the citizens of Wakefield.

 

It was an event of the strange and wonderful, designed to celebrate the breadth of creativity and invention of Wakefield and its people.

 

This image shows an advert for G and J. Hall, of 26 Westgate, on the back of one of their photographs. In the top left of the advert is a medal they had won at the Wakefield Industrial and Fine Art Exhibition.